Project Summary/Abstract There is a growing need for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals in order to protect the safety of people and animals. Improving capacity for isolate banking, accredited antibiotic susceptibility testing, and bacterial whole genome sequencing in veterinary diagnostic labs thus supports the mission of FDA to ensure the safety of our nation's food supply and protect public health. In this proposal, we request critical equipment needed to strengthen capacity in the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center. The capacity to perform advanced molecular characterization of bacterial isolates in a reliable manner is critical to our ability to respond quickly to suspected microbiological contamination and monitor antimicrobial resistance in animals and feed. The proposed studies will have important impacts for both human and veterinary health and will improve the capabilities of the Vet-LIRN to perform effective surveillance for food-borne pathogens.